This is a popular dessert in Hong-Kong that consists of a chilled mango-coconut soup filled with tapioca pearls and topped with shards of pomelo and chunks of fresh sweet mango. I added my own little twist by flavoring the mango-coconut soup with Kaffir lime leaves (mango plays well with lime) and added cubes of sweet dragon fruit. I could drink a gallon of this stuff. Really. On a hot day there’s nothing as satisfying as this dessert and there’s absolutely no need to feel guilty because it’s fruit on top of more fruit, only more luxurious. If I was living under the tropics all I would need to survive would be this mango-tapioca soup and.. err.. a hammock.

Now the second good news of the day is that it couldn’t be easier to make. And you should make it soon since all the fruits are in season right now. Just keep the components separate and combine them at the last minute since tapioca has the tendency to “melt” and disappear into the soup if it stands in in too long. Well, that is a big “if”. If I know you well, my dear readers, you’ll be funneling it down like I do.

Mango Sago Soup with Pomelo & Dragon Fruit

Serves 4

Mango Sago Soup with Pomelo Recipe:

4 ripe Mexican or Thai Yellow Mango

1 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup sugar

2 kaffir lime leaves (or strips of lime zest)

1 Pomelo or grapefruit

3/4 cup tapioca pearls

1 dragon fruit, optional

fresh mint leaves

For the mango soup with pomelo & dragon fruit

Peel and pit three of the mangoes and place the chunks in a blender. Add the coconut milk. Cut the last mango into cubes and reserve on the side.

Place the water, sugar and Kaffir lime leaves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil to make a syrup. Remove from the heat and let it cool and infuse for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the leaves.

Blend the mango and coconut mixture with half of the Kaffir lime syrup. Taste for sweetness. Add more syrup if necessary. Blend until you obtain a very smooth soup.

Strain the mixture into a bowl and discard the stringy parts. Chill.

Meanwhile cook the tapioca in boiling water according to directions. Strain and cool under cold running water.

When ready to serve, add the tapioca to the chilled mango-coconut soup and stir well. Pour into bowls and garnish with shredded segments of pomelo, and cubes of mangoes and dragon fruit. Garnish with mint leaves.

I love reading your posts for inspiration and flavor combinations. You do a marvelous job – thank you! I had a question: I wanted to try your Floating Island Tropical recipe and was wondering if I could use the mango soup of this recipe as the base for the espuma instead of the passion fruit-banana combination. Would it foam as well? Thanks!